Oat hulling and cleaning machine



Aug. 13, 1935. EfLoRl-:NZEN

y OAT HULLING AND CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed Deo. 24, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l lllllllll llllllllllll 5 ffii E. LORENZEN OAT HULLING AND CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 24, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 13, 1935. E. LORENZEN ULLING AND CLEANING MACHINE r@ATH original Filed Dec. 24, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Peiemed Aug. 13, 1935 OAT HULLING AND CLEANING MACHINE Edward Lorenzen, Minneapolis,

Application December 24, 1927, serial No. 242,412 Renewed August 16, 1933 9Y Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for hulling and cleaning grain, and while the machine is ca- Vpable of use for hulling and cleaning various kinds of grain, it particularly is designed for huiling and cleaning oats.

It is an object of this invention to provide" a machine which willfefectively hull and clean oats and other grain and which does not have to f es fio

be driven at exceedingly high speed` It is a further object of the invention to provide a grain hulling machine comprising a casing `preferably of cylindrical form, having a series of convex o1' semi-cylindrical projections on its inner wall, and a rotating member comprising a drum having longitudinally extending bars thereon, said casing having a plurality of inlet ports, a plurality of outlet ports between and adjacent said ports, and spaced circumferentially be received and carried. l

It is a further object of the invention to provide a grain hulling means `in combination `with a device such as set forth inthe preceding paragraph, a plurality of suction conduits being provided adapted to carry off the hulls `and lighter materials. i

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, `inwhicl'l like referencecharac'ters refer to similar parts throughout the sev-` 1 eral views and in which:-

Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical section taken Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2`2 of Fig. l;

` 1 Figf is a horizontalsection taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, said sections being taken as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a partial view in front elevation of a side of the cleaning belt used;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line I5 6 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrow;

` connected byheaded and nutted bolts I9.

Fig. 7 is a partial planA of the inner side of the hulling casing;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 3, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section similar toFg. 1, `I5

"showing a modied part of the machine; and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section on line Ill- I0 of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figs. 1 to 8, a grain hulling and cleaning machine .is I0 shown, comprising a casing I5 which will be made of wood or metal as desired and which is supported upon a frame comprising angle members I6 disposed at the corners thereof. The casing` I1 is provided, comprising upper and lower sections Ila and I'lb respectively, each comprising substantially a half-cylinder and having outturned longitudinally extending flanges I'Ic and I ld which are superposed and supported upon angle members I8 extending transversely of the casing I5, said anges and angle members being The F casing I1 has closed ends formedby the sides of thecasing I5 and has projecting inwardly from and secured toits inner wall, substantially semicylindrical ribs 20 having their convex sides directed inwardly. The casing Il also has formedtherein aplurality of inlet openings I'Ie` longitudinally alined in spaced relation, and substantially V-shapedribs or plates 2| are secured to the inner wall of said casing with their diverging ends embracing said openings, the points of said i Veshaped members or ribs being' directed oppostely to the travel of the material in said casing.

j A hopper 22` having downwardly converging sides is disposed above the drum or casing I1 and has a. longitudinal opening atits bottom vertically 40 alined with the inlet openings I le. A shaft 23 extends longitudinally through hopper 22 just vabove the opening therefrom, being journaled in bearings (not shown) secured to the ends of casing I 5, and has radial arms 24 secured thereto 145 in spaced and staggered relation. Casing I1 also hasfor'med. therein between the inlet openings I'Ie the outlet openings AIIf, a pair of these also beingdisposed between the end` inlet openings I'Ie and the end walls of the casing. The open- "50 ings I1f are considerably longer than the inlet openings lle and in practice it has been found suitable tomake the same about three times the length of the inlet openings.` The outlet openings I'lf `are spaced `slightly circumferentiallyl i from the openings ile and are disposed at one side of the hopper 22. A deflecting plate ig extends inwardly at the side of each of the inlet openings remote from the hopper 22 as shown in Fig. 8. A drum 25 is disposed in the casing il concentrically thereof and carried on a shaft 25 journaled in bearings 2l secured to the ends of housing l5. The drum 25 has secured to its periphery spaced angle bars 28 having one of their sides projecting outwardly radially so as to move in close proximity to the ribs 2li. rThe shaft 25 carries at one side of the housing i5 a pulley 29 adapted to be driven by a belt 3i) from any suitable source of power. Another pulley 3l is secured to shaft 26 over which runs a belt 32 `for a purpose to be later described, and a third pulley 33 is secured to shaft 29 adapted to receive a cross belt 3l! extending over a pulley 35 secured to the shaft 23 for driving the latter. At the end of the housing l5 opposite pulley 29, ,shaft 26 carries another pulley 55 over which runs a belt 3l for a purpose to be later described. A deflecting portion or plate 38 extends downwardly from the outer side of the casing or trough 39 and is disposed at one side of the casing il having a substantially semi-cylindrical rbottom from one side of which, below the free edge of plate 38 is disposed an overflow spout s!) and a discharge plate 39a projects downwardly in an inclined directionfrom the opposite and upper 'side of troughSS. A trough il extends below spout do and between the same and casing il, ingwhieh is disposed a helical conveyor l2 carrviedl on a shaft 43 which has secured to one end a' pulley 45 over which runs a belt 3l already referred to. A roller or drum l5 extends longitudinally of the trough 39 concentrically with its lower end, which drum is mounted on a shaft it extending longitudinally through casing i5 and beingjournaled in bearings lil secured in the walls thereof.- The shaft @t has secured thereto without the casing l5, a pulley 8' over which runs a belt 32 whereby pulley 48 is driven. Another drum 49 similar tothe drum 65 is disposed above the' latter and mounted on vthe shaft 50 also jour- Ynaledin bearings 5l secured to plates 52 disposed immediately insideV of the end walls of the casing i5. The plates 52 have lugs 52a at their upper Vends through which extend headed bolts 53 which project through slots l5a in the end walls of the casing I5 and are adapted to be held in various positions in said slots by the thumb nuts f5ll. An endless member 55 of flexible material `such'as rubber or rubberized fabric has a layer of heavy canvas 56 at its inner side, which runs over the drums l5 and 49 as shown in Figs. l and" 2.. The member 55 has end flanges 55a which extend over the ends of the drums 55 and "#9 and t snugly between the plates 52 and plates vSizindisposed closely adjacent the ends of the ldrums l5 andl. The member 55 has formed inl its outer surface a multiplicity of small pockets "or recesses 55h as shown in Figs. 4 to 6. The recesses 5519 are preferably arranged in rows, therecesses in'adjacentrows being staggered.

The shaft i6 of thelower roller 45 has secured of disposed over the upper end of a plate 38 and adjacent the same, and said conduit has another arm 5317 disposed over the upper rear side of the belt A discharge plate or chute 55 is spaced a short distance below discharge plate 33a, and extends through the rear wall of the casing l5. The conveyor (l2 delivers into a casing 55 at one side of the casing i5 which extends vertically along said side and has a discharge spout a delivering into the hopper 22. An endless bucket conveyor 56 travels in casing S5, running over suitable chain sprockets on shaft 53, and a shaft 5l journaled in the top of the casing.

In operation the grain to be hulled is placed in the hopper 22. Belt 3@ will be driven from a suitable source of power and through the belts 32, 35, and 3l', as well as belt 5S, drum 25 will be rotated, roller l5 will be driven, thus moving the endless member 55, conveyors l2 and 65 will be operated, and fan 6i driven. The shaft 23 with its members 25 will be driven in a counter-clockwise direction, and the grain will be fe-d through the opening in the bottom of the hopper into the inlet openings lle. The drum 25 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, and25 as the grain passes into the casing, it will be met by the bars 2E? and carried in a clockwise direction, being thrown against the ribs 2li. The grain will rebound from the ribs and will thus be repeatedly engaged by bars 23 and the various ribs ,30

so that the hulls will be effectively separated therefrom. it has been found that if grain is projected against angular surfaces, the same is apt to be broken. The rounded or convex surfaces of the ribs 2B, however, act effectively to hull t e grain without breaking the same. It Will be seen that the grain is prevented from passing out of the outlet openings Vif by the V-shaped deflectors El. The gra-in is carried around the casing il and when it reaches the deflectors 2| it is directed out of alinement with the inlet openings ile and into alinement with the outlet openings 17j. The grain will be directed through the outlet openings by the deflectors i'lg and will be delivered to the outside of the casing il at the right of the hopper 22 as shown. in Fig. 1. The hulle-d grain, loose hulls and any grain which may not be hulled, passes down over the top of the casing il and onto the plate 38. A strong suction takes place in the spout 53a and the hulls5 0 and lighter materials such as any dust and dirt of said trough. The pockets 551) are of suchno shape and size that akernel of cleaned, hulled grain will be received therein and will be carried upwardly with member Any unhulled grain, however, is too long to stay in said pockets and will fall therefrom when the surface of the niem- 65 ber 55 becomes substantially vertical. The unhulle-d grain will therefor drop from the apron and will gradually fill the trough 39, the clean grain being continuously picked up and carried upward by member 55. fills the trough 39, the same will be pushed along by the member 55 and will overflow from spout lil into trough fil. This grain will 'then be carried transversely by conveyor dil into the conveyor When the unhulled grain= casing 55 and will be delivered by conveyor' S65-'15 pass through the hulling casing. It will be seen that the inclination of the apron 55 may be varied by "adjusting the bolts 53 in the slots I8w. The

"i hulled and cleaned grain carried up by the apron l 55 is discharged at the upper rear side of said apron as it passes over the roll 49 and said grain will` also pass onto the discharge plate 39a and into the chute 64 from which it will be delivered outside of the housing I5. A strong suction is i `also exerted in the spout 63h at the point where l. the` grainis discharged from apron 55, so that any dust, light material, `or hulls which may have `been separated in` trough `39 will be, taken from thegrain and carried into the fan casing 62 and discharged through the fan 62a. It will be seen that the plates 51a extend across the ends. of the l `rollers 45 and 49 and are overlapped by the flanges f 55a of the casing I5, which flanges also move snugly against the outer plates 52. A very tight structure is thus afforded so that no grain `or hulls can` get beneath the belt 55 and interfere with its proper operation. 4

. The door` I5b of the casing can be opened at anytime to give access to the belt` or apron 55 and to inspect the operation thereof.

In Figs. 9,and a modified form of the cleaning apparatus is shown. With this form the .housing I5 will be made longer and the grain delivered from the hullingv casing will be delivered to a plate 10. A plurality of plates 1I y are provided of oblong shape,`having bearings 1Ia in which are journaled the shafts 12 and 13, j shafts 13 also running in bearings secured to casing,4 I5.

While the number of the plates 1I and said shafts may be varied, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated three of said plates are shown having three ofthe shafts 12.

` The shafts 13 havepulleys14 secured thereto and will be 'driven by a belt 15 running there` l over and over suitable idler pulleys 18, said belt being driven by a pulley 11 secured toa driven shaft 18. The plates 1I havelugs 1m at their upper ends which are secured to platesv 19 eX- tending through slots I 5c which will be provided in the casing wall, which are similar to the slots `I5a already described. 'Ihe bolts 19 can be clamped in suitable position by the` nuts 80.

Shafts 12 and 13 have secured` thereto respec-` tively the drums 8| and 82.V The endless belts `or aprons 83 travel over the drums82 and 8I, which belts are similar in construction to the belt or apron 55 already described and thesame will have the flanges 83a. overlapping oblong plates 84 extending across the ends of the drums,

thus forming a tight closure so that no grain can get beneath said aprons.` Another endless belt or apron 85 is provided, the upper run of Awhich extends downwardly in an inclined direction below the aprons 83, said belt 85 running over rollers 86 secured to shafts 81 respectively journaled in the frame 88. Said frame 88 has slotted arms 88a throughwhich extend clampsimilar to casing 85 which will return the mate- Arial delivered thereto back to thehopper 22. A

discharge plate 921is `provided extending close to the rear side of the rear apron 83, which plate is made longitudinally adjustable by having slots formed in its underside through` which pass the clamping bolts 93.

In the operation of the device' shown in Figs.

' 9 and 10, the hulled grain with the hulls and' with any unhulled grain which may pass from casing I1 are delivered to the plate '10. The hulls and lighter materials will be drawn off bythe spouts 63d and the remainder will pass down onto the belt 85. Therst apron 83 will engage` this grain as it passes around the lower roller 82 and the hulled grain will be taken up in the pockets of said apron and carried upwardly therewith. The mass of material accumulates at the front of the belt so that it is repeatedly acted on by said belt. The belt 85 is travelling downward and the unhulled grain which is not picked up or falls from` the apron 83, is eventually carried downward. The material carried upward by the first apron S3 is delivered against the second apron 83 and against the upwardly travelling side thereof. Some of this grain will immediately find lodgmcnt in the pockets of said apron and some will drop to the belt 85. The material again accumulates in front of the second apron 83 and is continuously engaged thereby so that the clean and hulled grain is picked up and carried upwardly, the unhulled grain being carried downwardly by belt 85. 'I'his action is again repeated by the third apron 83 to which the material. carried upward by thelsecond apron is delivered. The clean and hulled grain carried up by the third apron 83 is delivered to the plate 92 `and. will be discharged from the machine. The `unhulled -grain which is discharged at the lower end of the belt 85 passes into trough 90 and will be delivered back to the hopper for rehulling. By the successive treatment of the grain by the aprons 83, a much more perfect separation of the grain and hulls is attained. It will be seen'l that the inclination of one or all of the `aprons 83 may be varied and the position of `the belt 85 could also be varied accordingly. This latter belt canY also be positioned nearer or farther from the aprons 83.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and efficient grain khulling 'and cleaning machine. The grain is very effectively hulled and this is done by rotating drum 25 at a moderate speed compared to the speed of the hulling devices of the prior art. The surface of the grain separating apron is of Agreat area and contains a very large number of grain receiving pockets so that the machine is of ,large capacity.` The device has `a high degree of utility especially in the hulling of oats. The same is comparatively simple and can be made quite rugged in construction. 'I'he machine is also quite durable and requires little attention for maintenance.`

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention,

which, generally stated, consists in a device `capable of carrying out the objects aboveset forth, in the `'novel parts and'combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is2-V 1. A grain hulling device having in combination, a hopper, a substantially cylindrical casing below said hopper, said casing having a series of longitudinally spaced inlet openings and having spaced projections on its inner wall, a rotary member in said casing having longitudinally extending` Drojectionsmoving in close proximity to said spaced projections, said casing alsoA having a plurality ofl outlet openings circumferentially spaced `fromv saidV inlet openings and disposed alternately therewith longitudinally of said caspassing aro-und said casing, and to deflect the material which has passed around said casing to said outlet openings.

2. Agrain hulling device having in combination, a hopper, asubstantially cylindrical casing below said hopper, said casing having a series of longitudinally spaced inlet openings, said casing also having a plurality of outlet openings spaced longitudinally circumferentially from said inlet openings and alternating longitudinally therewith, said casing having on its inner wall circumferentially spaced substantially semi-cylindrical ribs extending longitudinally thereof, a drum rotatable in said casing having circumferentially f and into alinement .with said outlet openings.

. 3. A grain hulling and cleaning device having in combination, a hulling means having discharge openings, a chamber having a downwardly inclined bottom to which the grain and hulls pass from said discharge openings, a suction conduit above said 'bottom for rdrawing oir the hulls, a

trough into which the remaining grain hulls and unhulled grain pass, an endless member travelling through said latter trough having an upwardly moving substantially vertical surface, said member containing a multiplicity of pockets adapted to receive and carry only hulled grain, a chamber to which said endless member discharges, an overflow means in said trough for. unhulled grain, means for returningthe material passing through said overflow back to said hulling device, and a suction conduit disposed above the discharge end of said endless member.

4. A grain hulling device having in combination a substantially cylindrical casing having a series of longitudinally spaced narrow inlet openings at its upper side, a hopper disposedabove said inlet openings and having a discharge opening communicating therewith, said casing also having a plurality of outlet openings circumferentially spaced from said inlet openings and alternating longitudinally therewith, spaced means projecting from the inner wall of said casing, a rotatable member in said casing having peripheral means thereon adapted to travel in close proximity to such projections, means vfor deflecting grain from alignment with said inlet openings into alignment with said outlet openings,

and deflecting means between said means and aligned with said outlet openings extending inwardly from the wall of said casing adapted to guide material out of said outlet openings.

5. A grain hulling and cleaning device having in combination, a hulling means having discharge openings, a chamber having a downwardly inclined bottomto which the grain and hulls pass from said discharge openings, a suction conduit above said bottom for drawing off the hulls, a

semi-cylindrical trough to which said bottom de- ,75..

livers, axdrum in vsaid trough substantially co- .axial therewith, an endless apron movable,` over said drumr and having substantiallygvertical runs and having pockets in its surface extendingdownwardly therein in an inclined direction so ,as to .point upwardly and outwardly rin said vertical.l runs, said pockets being of shallow depthadapted to receive and carry upward the hulled grainbut y being so shaped that an unhulled grain will fall therefrom, said trough having an overow means at the side of the upwardly movable vertical run, a receptacle receiving from said overflow means, a conveyor for receiving from said receptacle and carrying unhulled grain back to sai-d hulling meansand a fan'adapted to cooperate :withsaid apron for drawing off light `material and discharge the same from said device, l

6. A grain hulling and cleaning machine having in combination, hulling means having a discharge opening, means receiving the hulled and l unhulled grain from said opening, a trough receiving the same from said means, a member movable through said trough for separating .and carrying therefrom hulled grain, a receptacle receiving. unhulled grain from said trough, a conveyor receiving said unhulled grain from said receptacle and constructed to deliver the same to said hulling means, an air means-drawinglight material from said iirst mentionedfmeans and from said separating means and discharging the same from said device.

'7. An oat hulling machine having in combination, a hulling casing, a rotating hulling member therein, said casing having an inlet opem'ng and having an outlet opening through which material is discharged by said rotating member, means for separating hulled and unhulled grainldisposed at one side of said casing, a member-over which said material from said cylinder passes toward said separating means, a suction conduit disposed above said last mentioned member for4 -drawing oiTv a portion of the lighter material, a

discharge means to which said separating means delivers the hulled grain, a second suction conduit acting on the material adjacent saiddischarge means andmeans for returning the unsaid casing having an inlet opening extending.

longitudinally thereof and an outlet openingv extending longitudinally thereof' spaced from said inlet opening, the material being fed to said ca's'- ing being carried around said casing by said cylinder and ribs thereon and discharged through."

said outlet opening, a devicefor separating the hulled and unhulled oats, a member over which the material passes from said casing to said device, means for drawing ofi the lighter material from said member, adischarge means for hulled oats leading from said separator, an aspirating conduit adjacent said discharge means and means for returning the unhulled oats from said separator back to said hulling casing. l 9. An oat hulling and separating machine having in combination, an enclosing casing, a hulling casing within and at one side of said casing, a rotating hulling cylinder. in said hulling casing, said hulling casing having inlet and outlet openings, feeding means for feeding material into said inlet opening, a` separator for separating hulled and unhulled oats Within said enclosing casing and at one side of said hulling casing, a plate adapted to receive hulled and unhuiled oats from said outlet opening and direct the same toward said separator, an aspirator conduit disposed over said plate for drawing off loose hulls and lighter material, said separator having a discharge means for hulled oats, an aspirator conduit adjacent said discharge means, said separator having a discharge means for unhulled oats and means for conveying said unhulled oats from said discharge means to said feeding means.

EDWARD LORENZEN. 

